Bitler, Daniel

DANIEL BITLER, farmer and stock dealer, Section 3, Township 21, P. O. Bitlertown was born in Schuylkill County, Pa,. September 24, 1820, where he remained on a farm until about twelve years of age, when he removed with his parents to Franklin County, Ohio, and, after a residence there of about two years, removed to Allen County. His father, Daniel Bitler, was one of the founders of the town of St. Johns, in Allen County, in 1835. The subject of this sketch continued to reside here with his father, assisting him in the operation of his general store, unt il he was twenty years of age. In 1840, he began business for himself, conducting a general mercantile business, and at times, also engaged in farming and stock dealing. In 1834, he was elected to the office of County Treasurer of Auglaize County. He was also Postmaster at St. Johns, Ohio, in 1839, again in 1844 and 1856 and was Justice of the Peace three terms, nine years at St. Johns, Ohio, and removed to the county seat, Wapakoneta, where he resided for two years; returning then to St. Johns, he resumed his business operations. Three years later he sold out his business at St. Johns and engaged in general merchandising at Wapakoneta, dealing largely also in stock and grain, where he remained until he came to Kansas, in 1866. In April, of that year, he located in Lyon County, on Eagle Creek, in Center Township, where he purchased a farm of 174 acres, which he has improved by the erection of a commodious dwelling, barns, granaries and corn-cribs capable of holding about 15,000 bushels. He has since purchased about 300 acres on the Verdigris River, in Greenwood County, which he has given to his sons; about 340 acres near Eureka, Greenwood County, and 480 acres in Center Township, about four miles southwest of his original farm, and a farm of forty acres about one mile east of his home place, also 320 acres adjoining his home place, make it now 494 acres. His principal crop is corn; he raises many cattle and hogs, and deals largely in stock, buying and shipping cattle and hogs. He was elected a director of the Emporia National Bank in 1873, and re-elected annually ever since. He has held the office of Township Trustee ten or eleven years since he came to the State, and served as a Justice of the Peace one term here. He married Miss Sarah J. Van Tress, of Allen County, Ohio, May 10, 1840, by whom he had nine children, of whom Sylvester V., William S., Susanna, Hannah, and Martha are living. She died September 18, 1856, and he married June 14, 1857, Miss Elizabeth Waggoner, of Auglaize County, Ohio, by whom he has had seven children, of whom Charles L., Clara J., Cora B., Daniel F., Maggie M. and Rhoda Kate are living.

History of the State of Kansas, William G. Cutler, A. T. Andreas, pub., Chicago IL. 1883